Disk retainer and packaging system for optical disks

Abstract

A retainer for holding and protecting an optical disk is molded from plastic, to form a thin, flat, rectangular base member having a shallow rectangular cavity in the front surface thereof. A shallow circular cavity is centrally located within the rectangular cavity. The disk is resiliently held within the circular cavity, and can be removed by finger lifting. The retainer's top edge includes a hook recessed into its flat top edge. This hook allows the retainer to be vertically hung from, and perpendicular to, a horizontal storage rod. The retainer includes short, spaced posts located within the top portion of the rectangular cavity. A flat storage envelope mounts on these posts, to overlay the disk's exposed surface. The two external, vertically extending side walls of the base each include a flat, protruding, label surface located at the center of the side wall. Two flat box shaped containers are provided. One container holds a single retainer. Another container holds two disk retainers, or in the alternative a single retainer, a dummy retainer and relatively thick material auxiliary to use of the disk. When a retainer is mounted in a container, its hook is concealed, but the retainer's label surfaces protrude through openings provided in the container.